ALLDATA now offers a repair planning software tool that it says will include daily updated OEM repair procedures and save shops time.

Called Repair Planner, ALLDATA says it works with all three major estimating systems and automates repair planning by helping shops plan inspections and structural repairs with OEM accuracy. An ALLDATA Collision subscription is required to use Repair Planner.

Once the initial estimate has been created, the user would open Repair Planner from the ALLDATA Collision platform, import their estimate, and be shown specific OEM information related to that line item. According to ALLDATA, it publishes new and revised vehicle information daily so that shops have the latest repair information as soon as it is available from the OEMs.

There is a slight delay from when ALLDATA receives new or updated repair information from OEMs and it appears in Repair Planner. Estimates are all still available and accessible once imported so if they are reopened in Repair Planner any OEM updates would be reflected.

Repair Planner integrates with ALLDATA Collision for one-click access to related OEM information and procedures line by line, according to a news release from the company. From there, inspections and procedures can be added as well as additional line items. The completed estimate includes necessary OEM documentation.

“We are constantly developing solutions to help technicians find the OEM information they need faster, improve accuracy, and expedite the collision repair workflow,” said ALLDATA President Satwinder Mangat, in the release. “Repair Planner dramatically reduces the time users need to spend researching OEM information and aims to add a layer of protection for shop owners by calling out exactly what’s required to repair vehicles back to factory standards.”

Graphic icons indicate OEM information in ALLDATA Collision associated with a particular job, including technical service bulletins (TSBs), diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs), service precautions, specifications, diagrams, paint codes, locations, and more, according to the release. ALLDATA says auto body repair unedited OEM information provided through Repair Planner includes body and frame sectioning, handling of new materials, evolving technologies such as hybrids and panel replacement, and more.

“ALLDATA Repair Planner calls out critical OEM procedures, ensuring that shops never miss required repairs and that vehicles are repaired back to OEM standards according to the manufacturer’s own criteria,” the release states. “‘Vital Repairs’ describe the OEM-specified inspections and repairs required after a collision, including high voltage system disable/enable.”

Images

Featured image: The ALLDATA booth at SEMA 2017 is shown. (John Huetter)

Repair Planner screenshot and video provided by ALLDATA